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Virtual Motorpix

Blog site for Virtual Motorpix with interesting articles on racing, motor sports and cars

Nürburgring 6-Hours

August 21, 2015 by: Virtual Motorpix | 1 Comment

#19 Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team, Earl Bamber, Nico Hulkenberg, Nick Tandy, Le Mans 24H 2015
Although they had driven the Porsche 919 Hybrid at the Spa 6H, it was the first time behind the wheel of the #19 Porsche for Nick Tandy, Earl Bamber and Nico Hulkenberg at the 2015 Le Mans 24H, thus winning the race on debut

We are now approaching the fourth race of the 2015 FIA/WEC season. This race, the Nürburgring 6-Hours being the final round to be held on European soil, will be held at the Nürburgring for the first time. Situated high in the beautiful Eiffel Mountains, in the physical and emotional shadow of the (in)famous Nordschleife, lies the Grüne Hölle.

#7 Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Audi Sport Team Joest, Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer, Le Mans 24H, 2015
Three times Le Mans winners Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer, drove the Audi Sport Team Joest #7 Audi R18 e-tron quattro to third place in the 2015 Le Mans 24H
#19 Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team, Earl Bamber, Nico Hulkenberg, Nick Tandy, Le Mans 24H 2015
The #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Tandy, Bamber and Hulkenberg leads the #8 Audi through the Esses on its way to victory in the 2015 Le Mans 24H

From a personal perspective the Nürburgring, albeit the GP circuit, is a fitting way for Europe to bid farewell to WEC for this year as it moves to more modern circuits in distant lands. The Nürburgring, Spa Francorchamps and La Sarthe are probably the reasons we have a successful WEC series today, as it is the 1000kms and the 24-Hour races at these circuits where the roots of the modern race series can be found.

#17, Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team, driven by Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley at the FIAWEC 6 Hours of Silverstone
Unfortunately Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley failed to finish in their #17 Porsche 919 Hybrid in the 2015 Silverstone 6-Hours

Multi-lane Autobahns deliver you efficiently into the Nürburgring complex which sits like a modern city in the middle of chocolate box Germany, offering a combination of concrete, steel and glass buildings sitting alongside traditional Bierkellers and Gasthäuser. If you have time to explore, the twisting and undulating roads stretch out into the countryside. There you will find very clean, tidy and pleasant villages, which rely to some degree on the neighbouring Nürburgring. The main dealer showroom, the independent automotive tuning and styling business, the headquarters of the DTM and other series, are all part of the motor sport metropolis. It is the large supermarkets, however, with aisles dedicated to French, Belgian and English labelled products that seem strangely out of place, but these are necessary to satisfy the needs of the tourists drawn to this automotive Mecca. It is clear when you see it, that the area is very reliant on motor sport.

During the FIAWEC Prologue 2015 at Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet, France, Toyota Racing, Toyota TS040 Hybrid #1 driven by Anthony Davidson / Sebastien Buemi / Kazuki Nakajima
2014 World Champions Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima sit ready to go out on track in the #1 Toyota TS040 Hybrid during the FIAWEC Prologue at Circuit Paul Ricard in March 2015

I have been to the Nürburgring many times as a spectator, or to drive the Nordschleife, or to pass through simply because the place has such an allure. I have been there in the spring, summer and autumn the only thing that changes is the colour of the leaves and the temperature of the rain…it’s either snow or monsoon.

Audi Sport Team Joest  Audi R18 e-tron quattro #7 driven by Marcel Fassler / Andre Lotterer / Benoit Treluyer, WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2015
Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 e-tron quattro #7 driven by Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer negotiate the hairpin La Source during the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in April 2015

This year will be the first time trackside for me, so there will be no time to browse the shops on Ring Boulevard, visit the Museum or to go karting, this is a working trip. I have received the media pack giving all of the details needed, it’s now just a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

Porsche Team  Porsche 919 Hybrid #18 driven by Romain Dumas / Neel Jani / Marc Lieb, WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2015 (during practice on Thursday 30 April)
The #18 Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb calls into the pits during practice on Thursday 30 April for the 2015 6-Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

I think that the race will be unique and the circuit looks like it will be very demanding on the drivers and the cars. The Nürburgring GP Circuit is the shortest circuit on the European leg of the WEC. It is difficult to get the definitive number of corners for the circuits of Silverstone, Spa and Nürburgring. But simply looking at this circuit, the Nürburgring appears to be more complex and the impact of getting a corner wrong or being blocked by a slower car, is likely to have a big impact on subsequent laps. The cockpits are going to be very busy places with little or no time for the drivers to take a breather, and traffic is likely to be an issue with a crowded grid (34 cars). A wide performance differential (LMP1 to GTE AM) will play its part, and of course the weather will no doubt have a say in the outcome.

#17 Porsche 919 Hybrid, Team  Porsche driven by Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley, Le Mans 24hr 2015, Test Day
The #17 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley finished second in the 2015 Le Mans 24hr

It is often said that you can’t win a race on the first lap, you can only lose it. There is much to play for…Audi will want to avenge the bloody nose they received from Porsche at Le Mans, Toyota will want to be back in the running after a lack lustre start to their world championship defence, and Porsche will want to continue to dominate not withstanding the EOT regulations, designed to level the playing field. I think there will be fireworks!

#2, Toyota TS040 Hybrid, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Mike Conway, Stephane Sarrazin, Alexander Wurz at Le Mans 24H, 2015
The #2 Toyota TS040 Hybrid was the top finishing Toyota in the 2015 Le Mans 24H. Mike Conway, Stephane Sarrazin and Alexander Wurz finished in sixth place

I can’t wait to see how it all plays out, and Virtual Motorpix will be there!

Written by: John Mountney

 

 

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Categories: Car Racing, Featured Articles Tags: Audi, FIA, Nurburgring, Porsche, Toyota, WEC

Comments

  1. Pim van der Veer says

    August 24, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    High level Motorsport journalism has no place for newcomers!

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